Orders begin for Ford Focus ST

Orders have started rolling in for the new Ford Focus ST with the specs and prices being confirmed.

The long-awaited hot hatch is on sale now wuth deliveries starting in September at a starting price of £21,995 with an estate version starting from £23,095.

This price tag comes a whopping £4000 less than the Focus ST’s main rival the Golf GTi. Whether this gulf in price is reflected in the drive is we will have to let you know.

Also released was the anticipated horse power figures.

The new Focus ST boasts a 2 litre engine, rather than the 2.5 lump that was found in the old car meaning better fuel consumption but you would think a cost to the peak horse power. .

Remarkably though the Focus ST generates more power thanks to the Ford Eco-boost technology where the engineers have just bolted a turbo to the engine and called it environmentally friendly.

The turbo squeezes an extra 25 horses into the engine giving it an extra 37 over long term competitor, the Golf. With this said Volkswagen are expected to release the latest incarnation of their best selling car at the Paris Motor show this September.

For those who are money conscious and want something that returns a good economy again you are in luck as it is claimed that the ST will return a rather impressive combined cycle of 39.2mpg.

It all sounds too good to be true then. Although official figures are yet to be released there is likely to be a bit of a lack of torque compared to the outgoing model as to be expected from the smaller engine.

This appears on the surface then to be the only thorn in the new Focus ST’s side.

On a personal level, I hope they choose to forget about the electrical power steering and fit the old hydraulic system, it was just better.

As per usual there will be the three trim levels: ST1, ST2, and ST3.

It has been announced that the entry level ST1 will come with Recaro seats, DAB radio and keyless start. If you can stretch the budget to the ST2 then you get the privilege of dual zone climate control, automatic wipers and lights. Finally, should you be feeling extravagant the range topping ST3 gets the addition of heated, leather Recaros and bi-xenon headlights.